


Slow song

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-18
Updated: 2014-07-18
Packaged: 2018-02-09 08:38:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1976325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru and Rin face off at a dance.</p><p>(Re-uploaded).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow song

**Author's Note:**

> Posted earlier on tumblr.

The electronic music thrummed loudly from the large speakers positioned at the front of the packed dance floor. Too loudly. Forcing Haru to tilt his head closer to Rin’s to hear the commentary he was providing near his ear.

“Nagisa’s moves aren’t bad, but I can’t say the same about his partner. For a guy who’s always yattering away about form, he sure is stiff! And that way he’s holding his glasses is-”

“If he doesn’t, they’ll fall off,” Haru interrupted, reaching past Rin for the glass of water the bartender slid their way. “And you go on about form just as much as Rei does.”

“Nah, I’ve seen him jog with those on.” Rin grabbed the glass right before Haru’s fingers brushed the chilled surface and took a swig. “He’s just trying to look cool.”

Haru raised an eyebrow at Rin’s teasing grin. _And you’re not?_

“Order your own,” he said, swiping the glass back.

“Tch. It’s just free water.” Rin swiveled around in his barstool and got his own. Turning back around, he clinked the glass against Haru’s. “How come there aren’t any other options?”

“Does there need to be?”

“Uh, _yeah_. I get there not being anything alcoholic-this being a school event-but no pop?”

“Did they have that at dances in Australia?”

“Probably.” Rin’s attention returned to the crowd, and Haru’s next question- _by probably, did Rin mean he hadn’t gone to any?_ -went unvoiced.

“Now _that_ I did not expect.”

Haru followed his gaze to Makoto dancing expertly with Kou not far from Nagisa and Rei.

“Though they’re dancing a _little_ too close...”

“Hardly,” Haru said. “But if you’d danced with her like she’d wanted, you wouldn’t have had to worry.”

“Hey, I agreed to be Gou’s date so I could watch over her. I never said I’d dance!”

“Yet you have so much to say...”

“What was that?”

Haru hid his growing smile with the glass. “I’m just wondering how a person whose feet haven’t even touched the dance floor can criticize everyone else.”

“...”

Rin got off the barstool and reached for Haru’s wrist. “That’s a challenge, right?” He gave the wrist a tug, and grinned toothily when Haru smirked.

“You bet,” Haru replied, and let Rin pull him towards the dance floor.

Maneuvering around the other dancers, Rin led them to a spot far enough from the speakers that they were not blaring in their ears. He came to a stop and let go of Haru’s hand, turning to meet the glint of challenge in his eyes, when the music stopped and the lights fell.

“What the-”

Before Rin could finish, the lights returned, replacing the multi-coloured ones from before with dim blue; followed by the music, no longer the electronic song from before, but something softer and more melodic.

The crowd began shifting around them, forcing Rin to reach for Haru again to keep them from getting separated.

“I can’t believe this!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Can’t you tell? I-It’s a slow song!”

“So?”

“So we’ve got to go back!” Rin tried to retreat, tugging him along, but Haru did not allow it.

He pulled back the arm that Rin held, drawing the other close.

“Hey!” Rin exclaimed, grabbing for Haru’s waist to maintain his balance.

Around them, couples were swaying together to the music, and throwing them curious glances.

“What are you doing?!”

“Are you forgetting our challenge?”

“Don’t be so dense! We’ve got to-”

“Or are you forfeiting?”

Rin paused. He let go of Haru’s arm, allowing the other to take his hand and place his free one on Rin’s shoulder.

“You...really want to go through with this?”

“Do you?”

Not even the dim lighting could hide the glimmer of excitement in Rin’s eyes.

“As if I’d back down from a challenge with you.”

Rin entwined their fingers together and lifted his other hand from Haru’s waist to his upper back.

“The first one to stumble loses,” said Haru.

“Heh. I’m leading, so you’d better keep up.”

Their movements were stiff at first, and their face-to-face proximity was a little awkward (despite Rin’s bravado, he kept his eyes glued to their feet), but the longer they danced, the more they relaxed, falling into an easy sync.

Haru peered at Rin’s downturned face, somewhat hidden by his hair, and though he could not make out his eyes, he did see a smile on his lips.

The sight sent a rush of warmth straight to his heart.

Removing his hand from Rin’s shoulder, Haru reached up and brushed the obstructing hair away. Rin gave a start and stumbled, disrupting the flow of their movements.

“Damn it! Why’d you do that?”

“I wanted to see your face.”

Rin’s eyes widened, and a blush rose upon his cheeks.

“Just concentrate on dancing,” he muttered, placing his hand, that had fallen to his side, back on Haru’s waist.

They had barely resumed when the song ended and changed to something more upbeat.

Haru caught the disappointed expression on Rin’s face a split second before someone tackled him.

“That was amazing!” Nagisa exclaimed, hanging around Rin’s shoulders. “I didn’t know either of you could dance like that!”

“N-Nagisa! Get off!”

“Me neither,” said Kou, ducking under Rin’s flailing arm. “How’d you get my grumpy brother to dance, Haruka-senpai? I’ll forgive you for stealing my date since that was quite a sight!”

“Oi, Gou!”

“We had a challenge,” Haru replied.

“Who won?” Nagisa asked, slipping from Rin’s shoulders.

“Me.” “No one yet.” Haru and Rin said at once. They turned to each other.

“It’s your fault I stumbled so it can’t be considered my loss!”

“Don’t blame me for you carelessness.”

“Haru, you-”

“Geez, you two,” Kou sighed. “Forget that excuse, and just admit that you wanted to dance together.”

“G-Gou!” Rin cried.

“Hey, Gou-chan, Mako-chan’s waving us towards the bar!”

“Ah! Enjoy the rest of your _challenge_ , onii-chan!”

Haru glanced at Rin, who hastily turned away, though not before he caught him blushing even harder than before.

A moment later, Rin cleared his throat.

“Another round,” he demanded, not meeting Haru’s eyes.

Haru could not help but smile.

“Alright.”


End file.
